Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-04
SOME STARTLING FACTS,
Williams Bondsmen Want Him
Brought Back, and Offer to
Settle in Full Without
"' Cost to the County!
Why do The Commissioners Offset?

Cost to the County!
Why do The Commissioners Offset?
| Wehave in. Our hands COPY of a
proposition Inade by the bondsmen Of
our defaulting county treasurer, to the
commissioners at their special session
early in July. The fairness of the prop
osltion is evident at a glance. We give
1t to our readers this week as throwing
some light on the intentions of the
bondsmen. :.
i Washington Springs, Jerauld Co., Oak
July, 18th, 1887
Know all men by these presents:-
That it is hereby agreed by and be.
tween the board of commissioners of
Jerauld county ID. T. for said county
and the bondsmen of WI. Williams
as county treasurer thereof, for them
selves and said w. j. Williams and all
his legal representatives:
LIST. That the said bondsmen shall
have until January, 1883, at the meet
ing OF the said board of county COM
mlssloners in which to adjust the books
and settle, pay and square up the said
books and accounts Of said w. }. Will
liams, as county treasurer.
IND. That, the present deputy, Miss
Mary Williams, may remain as deputy
treasurer, and go on with the business
as such, by applying the whole proceeds
OF the office, excepting five dollars per
week, to the credit of said treasurer,
w. j. Williams, until. the final settle
ment of said books, and, accounts at the
meeting of the board of county COM
missioners in January, 1888; and that
said deputy may be assisted by such
necessary help, it any, as may by said
bondsmen be directed and approved.
3rd. That said W. j. Williams, be
granted opportunity with full and COM
plete immunity from hindrance or
molestatlon in any manner during
said time and at such settlement to as
sist the said bondsmen as they may di-
rect aud be able to obtain him to do,
and that upon such settlement and the
payment Of all just claims of Jerauld
county in fee simple against said w. j.
Williams, as treasurer thereof, said
board of county commissioners shall
make out and deliver to said Williams
or his legal representatives. as in JUS
tice may be determined, by distinction
same, a receipt in full as usual in G. 8,
til. That upon tie signing 81 this
agreement BY the bondsmen and said
comfy commissioners, all legal pro-
Ject matter Of this case, and all legal
Nr00oodin0o on1fnof coiA VIZ IT TE3l.J
Hams, and his hpndsnden are herebYI
l5rty I'M said aatlQh attached is hereby,i
paymeptin full of. the just dues Of said
county as aforesaid, q receipt in full
settlement Of said, treasurer's accounts
with Jelauld county, shall be recorded
10 the county clerks book Of records
and q copy delivered to said treasIrerl
pr his said: deputy; and to the sai6j
|bondsmeh, all duly signed, sealed ana
witnessed and annetltfy made and res1
corded on. the county clerks books dis [
charging said bonndqsmen In the case.
Our Citizens would probably be sur
prised at the refusal of the commits
sloners to accept or even consider this
proposition, if it were not for the fact
that it is in Eseping with so many
other Of their acts, done, seemingly
without any regard to economy for the
county. While they may be estimable
men in some respects, it has long been
commonly known that they have al
lowed themselves to be controlled by
one man. A RENEWAL Of the commits
sioners proceedings during the past
two years, fails to show single in
stance where they have gone against
the selfish interests of the county clerk.
Bills and salaries he wished allowed
were always allowed. Bills and sal
aries he wished cut down were always
lowered. And it was probably under
his illegal" advice that the commission
ers dismissed the deputy county treas
urer, took charge of the treasurer's
office, opened the safe and went through
the books, before notifying the public
that anything was wrong.
1t seems to the people generally, that
the commissioners should dc one of
two things. Either have Williams
brought back as any other criminal,
and let the law have its course in re-
gard to his actions, or accept, in sub
stance, the proposition made by his
bondsmen. It is commonly reported
that warrant for his arrest has been
issued with instructions that the
county shall be put to no expense
whatever. Remarkable economy! II
common burglar had broken into the
county safe and carried away five or
ten dollars, warrant would undoubt-
eddy have been issued immediately re-
CARELESS of the expense to the county.
But county official is allowed to de-
fraud the county Of about $4,000 and
escape without the slightest effort be-
ing made to bring him to justice. In
deed it rather begins to appear that
thew do not want him to come back
under any conditions, and people are
houinni To inullire "Oh, what's the